RunTrampRuntramp's modus operandi is simply to explore the act of moving fast and light through our planet's playgrounds2018-01-30T12:32:30Zhttp://runtramp.com/feed/atom/WordPressRNTRMPhttp://www.runtramp.comhttp://runtramp.com/?p=20602018-01-30T12:32:30Z2014-11-06T19:40:44ZLight means fast, fast means longer. Those six words, found on the homepage of the alpinrunning website, perfectly encapsulate the philosophy behind this stripped back, barebones form of alpinism. It’s all about freedom. The freedom to not only travel further, but also the freedom to experience the mountains in a purer and more unhindered manner.In […]

]]>Light means fast, fast means longer. Those six words, found on the homepage of the alpinrunning website, perfectly encapsulate the philosophy behind this stripped back, barebones form of alpinism. It’s all about freedom. The freedom to not only travel further, but also the freedom to experience the mountains in a purer and more unhindered manner.In a way, alpinrunning could be seen as an amalgamation of many disciplines — trail running, skimo, fast and light mountaineering — into a kind of total-alpinism, where everything the mountains have to offer is embraced in a flowing, high-tempo approach.

‘It’s about wanting to keep moving and adapt to the mountains,’ says Kilian Jornet who, not surprisingly, is at the forefront of the movement. ‘Sometimes run, sometimes climb, sometimes ice…it’s to have no rules and no definitions.’ Jornet’s recent YouTube videos of his alpinrunning antics put those words into perfect action — he transitions seamlessly from running to climbing to crampon and ice-axe manoeuvring on the white stuff. It’s incredible — mountain-motion at it’s fluid and beautiful best. That fluidness, however, comes with the obvious risks associated with climbing without protection and abandoning what could be regarded as traditional mountain safety. In that sense everyone, even someone as experienced and talented as Jornet, need to be both true with themselves regarding their ability and also be respectful of the mountains.

‘The mountains are for everyone,’ says Jornet. ‘It’s just that we need to be humble and honest about our level. When we go light, when we solo, we need to be sure.’ It doesn’t come down to how far one can run or how many mountain ultras one’s completed, this is all about another set of skills — mountain skills. ‘It’s not trail running,’ he says. ‘It’s alpinism in a light way, so we need to know our level when it comes to alpinism, not our endurance capacities.’ That being said, it’s hardly a surprise that alpinrunning is attracting a number of mountain and trail runners. The obvious lure of the mountains, the untouched beauty of more remote and exposed terrain and the downright sense of fun and adventure that getting more off-grid brings is a potent mix. By nature, the passion to explore and push oneself exists in the majority of mountain runners, as does a certain attraction for the alpine, so combining the speed, athleticism, and lightness from the trails with aspects of a fast alpinist style of mountaineering seems like quite a natural evolution. Products, too, are evolving. Take Salomon’s new X-Alp range with it’s obvious trail running and freeski influences and strong alpinerunning DNA. A couple of the range’s products, in fact, have their roots in Jornet’s seminal ‘Summits Of My Life’ project.

‘The first time we started making something like the X-ALP boot was in 2012, when I was planning to do the Mont Blanc crossing by Inominatta,’ says Jornet of the boots development. ‘Along with the Salomon engineers we developed a kind of waterproof running shoe with some protection for snow and a sole made for mountains, now they’ve made a commercial version that’s more waterproof and has more protection but is still runnable and light.’ The boot is something of a flagship product for the range, mirroring the multi-faceted, cross-mountain approach that alpinrunning favours. The boot is light and flexible enough to run in, yet is rigid enough for edging on the steep stuff and can also take crampons. The other product from the Summit’ design sessions is the X-Alp backpack — optimised for keeping crampons, ice axe and other essentials in easy reach for fast transitions. It’s S-LAB trail running gear reimagined for the gnarliest and most aesthetic, purest of mountain routes.

There’s no doubt that alpinrunning is bringing a refreshing, progressive mindset to mountaineering. Progressiveness will, however, always have its detractors — mainly traditionalists who abhor change. On that front, there are, says Jornet, signs that attitudes are altering too. ‘It’s always changing,’ he says. ‘Some people think it’s not good, some people like it — it also depends on the country — but in general, people are starting to understand.’

Perhaps what they’re starting to understand is that Kilian and co are simply having a blast. Whether they’re breezing by gear-laden, near-static climbers on a summit ridge or gleefully glissading a descent, it looks like fun — it looks bonafide and dynamic.

For Jornet it’s really pretty simple. ‘Alpinrunning is all about finding a nice line, a nice loop. Sometimes they appear in dreams, sometimes by looking at maps or photos and thinking, “I want to go there!”’.

]]>RNTRMPhttp://www.runtramp.comhttp://runtramp.com/?p=20412014-09-10T14:55:43Z2014-09-10T14:53:09ZThe Skyrunning Ultra carnival rolls into Big Sky resort, Montana, USA for this weekends grand-finale. Make no mistake, The Rut 50k is the real-deal. A bona-fide, white-knuckle ride of a mountain race. Euro-inspired but well and truly, undoubtedly, Montana-ized. ‘Both Mike Wolfe and I have traveled and raced extensively in Europe at incredible mountain races,’ […]

]]>The Skyrunning Ultra carnival rolls into Big Sky resort, Montana, USA for this weekends grand-finale. Make no mistake, The Rut 50k is the real-deal. A bona-fide, white-knuckle ride of a mountain race. Euro-inspired but well and truly, undoubtedly, Montana-ized.

‘Both Mike Wolfe and I have traveled and raced extensively in Europe at incredible mountain races,’ says Mike Foote, one half of the race-organising duo completed by fellow TNF trail athlete, the aforementioned Wolfe. It was during those years, when the two were travelling and competing, that the initial spark for The Rut was ignited, as Foote explains. ‘We both have a lot of pride about living and running in Montana. We wanted to bring an event to our home state which was inspired by our races abroad,’ he says. ‘Montana isn’t lacking in sweet mountain terrain so we wanted to showcase what we have in our backyard. The Rut provides that.’

Getting mountain races of this calibre and technicality off the ground in the US can be a frustrating exercise. That’s partly why state-side races such as The Rut are few and far between. Foote and Wolfe, however, have found a way of ditching the douche-grade. ‘Permitting is difficult in the US. Specifically in trying to have a larger event with larger participation numbers,’ says Foote. ‘The Rut, however, exists solely on private property and we have more latitude in designing our course on Big Sky Resort because of that.’

Big Sky Resort is situated in Madison county in the south-west of Montana near the city of Bozeman. The resort opened in the seventies and is now the largest ski resort in the US, stretching out over almost 6000 alpine acres. This is Rut-country.

‘Southwestern Montana is part of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem,’ says Foote. ’It’s a small part of a large and wild corridor of wilderness, with abundant wildlife and open spaces.’ It’s also a location that has steeper, rockier peaks than other parts of Montana and a little more altitude to suck the power from your legs and the air from your lungs just a touch quicker. In other words, it checks all the Skyrunning boxes — it’s no wonder that the event has become a showcase stop on the Ultra Series.

‘It was a good fit for both parties involved,’ says Foote of the Skyrunning collaboration. ‘We wanted our race to attract international attention and competition — being on the series has helped us do that. In turn, the ISF [International Skyrunning Federation] wants to grow in the US and wanted a course that was extremely challenging and severe.’ It’s an exciting prospect, the opportunity to see some of the best men and women battling it out on The Rut’s brutal course. A course that the Mikes have made even more gnarly after last year’s successful, inaugural edition.

‘People loved it last year,’ says Foote of the feedback he got after the race. ‘Many folks felt like it was more an adventure than a race and were really blown away by the alpine sections of the course. In fact, some folks asked us not to make it any harder, but then we did this year by adding more climbing and alpine ridge line!’

The Rut is cementing itself as one of the events on the mountain running calendar and being part of the Skyrunning Ultra Series will give the race some major european exposure too. Foote, albeit delighted with the way the race is expanding, is passionate for The Rut spirit to prevail. ‘I feel confident we can nail it this year, but I want to make sure we can do what we are already doing well, before diversifying too much,’ he says before adding. ‘We want to make it a big party…a big celebration.’

Hear, hear.

The Rut 50K takes place this Saturday, Sept 13. For more info on the race visit The Rut website.

]]>RNTRMPhttp://www.runtramp.comhttp://runtramp.com/?p=20242014-09-08T17:17:22Z2014-09-08T14:00:57ZBruised legs and bruised egos aside, Tromsø Skyrace has been an unequivocal success. The morning following the inaugural event finds race directors Emelie Forsberg and Kilian Jornet basking in the warm glow of an achievement fulfilled. They’ve pulled it off and created an event that has, in some ways, redefined what a mountain race can […]

]]>Bruised legs and bruised egos aside, Tromsø Skyrace has been an unequivocal success. The morning following the inaugural event finds race directors Emelie Forsberg and Kilian Jornet basking in the warm glow of an achievement fulfilled. They’ve pulled it off and created an event that has, in some ways, redefined what a mountain race can be.

‘I feel relieved and really happy,’ says Forsberg. ‘I’m so happy that everybody seemed to enjoy it. I loved that the atmosphere back at Fjellheisen [the restaurant perched on a hillside, 400 meters above Tromsø that acted as race headquarters, start and finish area and overall good-vibes zone] was so nice too — everybody stayed for hours talking, eating and coming out to cheer all the finishers — that was pretty special.’

Choosing Fjellheisen as the finish was a masterstroke from the two Skyrunning world champions. Not only was it a cosy place to unwind after the race, the cabin was visible from high up on the last descent from the Tromsdalstinden summit — a beacon of hope in the distance, guiding the weary runners home. The welcome they then received upon arrival was nothing short of exceptional — cheers, photos and a personal escort for the last few meters from Kilian and Emelie themselves. It’s certainly not everyday you get to cross the finish line with either of those two masters.

With the passion and drive that Forsberg and Jornet have displayed in getting their beloved Tromsø Skyrace off the ground, it’s no surprise at all to find them, a mere twelve hours later, already dreaming up new challenges for next years edition. Given their pedigree, it’s pretty obvious that adding an Ultra and a Vertical Kilometre would be top of the list. ‘We want to do an Ultra that descends from the other side of Hamperokken [the dramatic second summit on the course] and climbs the next summit, it will add an extra 20k to the 45k race and the descent is just crazy,’ says Jornet, smiling. ‘It’s really steep, really rocky and super-technical. It drops 700 vertical meters. It will be really tough!’ If all goes to plan that Ultra will be nothing short of epic. It’s all about the terrain, the nature, the climate and just the pure gall of these two in even attempting to put on a race that’s so technical and downright gnarly.

There’s a certain unspoilt rawness, not to mention unlimited alpine possibilities, of the multitude of peaks and ridges around the Tromsø area. It’s pretty much one giant playground for mountain lovers. That, no doubt, is a major factor in what draws Forsberg and Jornet here and why they have nurtured such a strong bond with the area. They’re in their element — like two kids dreaming up cool adventures and Tromsø Skyrace is just their way of sharing the stoke, the fun, with other runners. That’s why they plan on expanding the adventures on offer for next year with the aforementioned Ultra and a 1000 meter sprint to the top of another famous nearby summit. A summit that can give a glimpse of another Tromsø highlight, as Forsberg explains.

‘I saw some Orca whales down there last year,’ she says, pointing towards the sea from the VK route on the neighbouring island of Kvaløya. ‘They were only five meters away from the shore chasing shoals of herring, it was amazing!’ The traditional route goes straight up to the base of a rocky, almost vertical, cliff near the summit and then traverses around and up to the top. Emelie, true to form, has an idea for a more direct approach. ‘Maybe we could go straight up the cliff, what do you think Kilian?’ she asks. ‘Hmmm, No I don’t think so,’ he replies, before continuing. ‘It could be possible but maybe not for the race. But I think we should start right by the sea shore though…’ Emelie thinks about it a few seconds, warms to the idea and replies. ‘We could start in the sea, that would be cool…then it really would be sea to sky!’

It’s a couple of days before the inaugural Tromsø Skyrace, the race that he and Emelie Forsberg have created in the Northern Norwegian wilderness, and he’s sitting on the floor giving us a sneak-preview of the race presentation. If Jornet is saying it’s steep and technical, than everyone’s in trouble. ‘I wonder how many will actually finish the race in twelve hours,’ he says, almost as an afterthought.

‘I hope the runners realise that this race is a little different,’ says Emelie Forsberg the next day, making her way through thick fog on the first part of the race route. To be honest, if they didn’t realise that before the race, it’ll take them all of ten minutes for the pin to drop after the start. The landscape, the climate, the views, or lack of views — depending on the weather — all combine to make running in the mountains around Tromsø an incredibly unique experience. Now take all those things and throw in one brutally demanding course and you have the making of something very, very special.

Jornet and Forsberg in the role of race directors are about as dynamic as they are as athletes. The course has been tweaked and re-tweaked numerous times as they fine-tune before race-day — aid stations get moved, routes up mountains gets changed. It’s a balancing act — they really want to create a truly challenging race but not an impossible race, a spectacular race but not a downright dangerous one. ‘We want to show people the soul of the mountains here in Tromsø,’ says Forsberg. ‘Technical, wild and humble!’

Watching Jornet and Forsberg preparing for the race, it’s very easy to see that it’s something that they’re incredibly passionate about. They’re doing it all — picking up people from the tiny Tromsø airport, packing bags to bring to aid stations, collecting race-numbers, marking the route…everything. If that’s not enough, they’re also planning to run too. ‘Maybe just the shorter race, I’m still pretty tired after Kima [Skyrace in the Italian Dolomites last weekend],’ says Forsberg. ‘I’m feeling a little destroyed right now,’ says Jornet, after Kima and marking the course this week.

One things for sure, there’s going to be a lot more destroyed legs walking around Tromsø tomorrow night. Tromsø Skyrace is going to be badass.

]]>Just how epic is this photo from renowned Salomon lensman Damien Rosso? There’s probably more mountainrunning-awesomeness per pixel on offer here than almost any other trail photo I’ve had the pleasure to cast my eyes on…

It is, off course, the Matterhorn. As seen from a high-altitude section of the mind-blowingly stunning Matterhorn Ultraks course. The race itself is just two years old but has already gained an almost mythical status amongst runners. A status that’s, undoubtedly, fully deserved. It’s not just the course itself, the whole organisation and vibe of the Zermatt event is exemplary and makes a trip there, not just a pleasure but also a pilgrimage for anyone who simply wants to experience racing in some of the most pristine mountain environments on the planet.

As the penultimate stop on the Skyrunning World Series Skyrace calendar, there was also some important duels taking place in the thin alpine air, especially on the women’s side, where Stevie Kremer continues her strangle-hold over the shorter distances, proving once again to be Emelie’s and every other female skyrunner’s nemesis when it comes to 50k and under. With the men, news of a resting Kilian Jornet probably elicited whoops of joy and dreams of glory from the other male athletes. It was Zaid Ait Malek, however, who took the honours on a beautiful days running under an almost cloudless and windless Swiss sky.

Below, you can read all the details in the official Skyrunning press release.

Saturday’s Mattrhorn Ultraks 46K, had American Stevie Kremer take her third win in the Sky Series and consequently the title which she will claim at the final in October.

After an enormously successful season, starting with her win in Zegama followed by the Combined title at the Skyrunning World Championships in Chamonix, and the recent Course deSierre Zinal, she headed back to Colorado, ran the Pikes Peak Ascent and arrived back in Switzerland the night before the race with enough energy packed into her small frame to take the win in a deeply stacked field.

Her result is laudable not only for the number of races she has successfully run, but this was the longest in terms of distance and vertical, that she had ever attempted. “It was hard but amazing,” she commented. Her recipe? “It’s important to pace yourself!”.

The competition pushing the pace came from Elisa Desco, who for a while held the lead with Kasie Enman,Maite Maiora and Emelie Forsberg, last year’s winner. Emelie !was just 4 minutes behind the leaders at the Gornergrat 3,112m summit. She actually ran just 6” slower than last year (5h41’47”) but succumbed to the fast pace with Stevie closing in 5h18’43” and a new course record. Elisa Desco finished an excellent 2nd ,Maite Maiora 3rd and Kasie Enman 5th.

Moroccan Zaid Ait Malek was overjoyed with his first win in a World Series event. Many times he came close but with today’s win, he climbs up the ranking from 4th to 3rd. From the start to the summit, Basque runner Aritz Egea held a strong lead, challenged only by Zaid and Swiss runner Andrea Bundi on the descent. At 30 km into the race, Zaid was leading strongly, followed by Andrea and Aritz. Zaid finished in 4h45’01” just under two minutes short of Kilian Jornet’s 2013 record. Andrea closed in 4h52’21” and Artiz, 3rd, in 4h55’17”.

Marco De Gasperi, who was the only contender for the Sky Series title with Ionut Zinca, didn’t race for health reasons but was in Zermatt to support his wife, Elisa Desco. Kilian Jornet, with three straight wins, is now unofficially the Series winner and will collect the title at the final in October on Italy’s Lake Garda.

Six hundred runners toed the start line of Matterhorn Ultraks 46K, with 3,600m ascent and descent, it reaches a high point of 3,112m altitude at the Gornergrat observation point which overlooks the Grenz Glacier and Monte Rosa, Europe’s second highest summit, to the left and the Matterhorn on the right.

The incredible fascination of this iconic mountain continues to inspire from both sides. It was last year that Kilian Jornet, just days before the race, set the Matterhorn record on the Italian side. This year, in Zermatt to support Emelie and the rest of the runners, he took time off from racing. With perfect weather conditions on Friday, he couldn’t resist the opportunity to summit the mountain again, alone – his once again.

]]>RNTRMPhttp://www.runtramp.comhttp://runtramp.com/?p=19312014-08-20T15:13:16Z2014-08-20T14:16:36ZSimon Freeman, editor of the alternative running magazine, Like The Wind, is excited. ‘We’re launching a Pop-Up in central London for the next issue,’ he says. ‘This will be a physical home for Like the Wind for a week in September or October where we will have film nights, inspiring talks, workshops and, of course, […]

]]>Simon Freeman, editor of the alternative running magazine, Like The Wind, is excited. ‘We’re launching a Pop-Up in central London for the next issue,’ he says. ‘This will be a physical home for Like the Wind for a week in September or October where we will have film nights, inspiring talks, workshops and, of course, a launch party for the magazine.’ It represents a fundamental shift for Like the Wind after the more low-key launches of the first two issues — a sign that the magazine, and those involved in it’s creation, are growing not only in stature, but ambition too.

It’s pretty apt that Like The Wind was first conceived on the magnificent trails of the Grand Tour de Mont Blanc. It was there that Freeman and his wife Julie spent a couple of days on their honeymoon, running the famous alpine route. As they cruised the valleys and peaks, thoughts turned, quite naturally, to running. ‘We were talking about what it is we love about running,’ says Freeman remembering the trip. ‘We knew that in cycling and climbing there were magazines that celebrated the spirit of the sport rather than focussing on the mechanics of it. So we thought that if there was a magazine that celebrated the spirit of running through stories, we would buy it and presumably there would be others who would as well.’ There and then they decided that they were going to create a new kind of running publication. The only problem was, they hadn’t a clue how to go about it.

The Freeman’s weren’t always running freaks. In fact, Simon was, until relatively recently, a long way off what you’d even call active. ‘Throughout my teens and 20’s I was very unfit – a smoker and drinker who did no sport,’ he says. ‘Then, on Christmas Eve 2004, I decided that I needed to change something because I wasn’t even 30 and I felt like an old man. So I quit smoking that morning.’ That was the catalyst he needed and within six months he’d run his first race, an 8km fun run and from there, it’s just kicked on. Julie on the other hand, grew up in the mountain running paradise of Switzerland but never took part herself. It took a relocation to the big smoke to kickstart her journey to the trails. ‘After I moved to London I started running in the parks in central London and caught the running bug,’ she says, remembering her first forays into the sport. ‘After a couple of shorter races, I realised that what I really enjoyed was longer races and moving fast and light in the mountains. Now I am a fully-fledged ultra trail runner.’ They’re both proof, if proof were needed, that some of the most passionate and pro-active people in the running community are the ones that show up a little late to the party.

Neither Simon nor Julie had any idea how to physically create or edit a magazine but they were certainly no greenhorns when it came to the communication industry. Both worked extensively in marketing and within social media, so they were well connected within the world of content creation. When their attentions firmly focussed on getting Like the Wind off the ground, it was obviously time to call in a few favours. ‘From an editorial point of view, we had to write to all the runners we knew — and a few that we didn’t — who we thought would tell us an interesting story and ask them to believe in the project.’ says Simon. It turns out that people did believe and, slowly at first, the stories and articles started to trickle in, then an ex-colleague, a black-belt in editing no-less, offered to lend a hand. It was a significant moment. ‘A runner, writer and hugely experienced sub-editor called Imogen Lees offered to sub-edit the pieces for free. Without Imogen we would probably not have made it to issue number two,’ he says. It was the impetus they craved and, emboldened, they pushed on, creating a network of photographers, designers and illustrators that would give the magazine it’s visual identity — it’s eye-candy. At the same time, Julie got to grips learning how to layout the magazine with Adobe InDesign — taking advantage of a 30 day free trial of the software to get the inaugural issue print-ready. It’s been, without doubt, something of a baptism of fire. ‘We have even become experts in the different environmental implications of recycled versus responsibly sourced paper,’ says Julie. ‘It’s been a steep learning curve.’

Some would argue that creating a printed magazine in the digital age is probably not the best way to spend your life-savings. Digital, after-all, was supposed to sound the death-knell for the printed page. Instead what we’re witnessing is a flourishing indie-magazine sub-culture with an emphasis on craftsmanship, content, and creativity. Magazines such as The Surfer’s Path, Alpinist, Privateer, Rouleur and Paper Sea — it’s here, among those titles, that Like the Wind feels right at home. ‘Print is certainly not what it used to be, but that is fine by us,’ says Simon. ‘Where ink on paper does have a role is in creating things that people treasure and want to keep.’ Another important aspect of this more artisan approach to magazine-making, and one that the Like the Wind team has so far adhered too, is the reluctance to rely heavily on selling advertising space within the covers. It’s a refreshing approach that has allowed them to create the magazine that they envisioned and freed them from the opinions and judgement of major brands. Like the Wind may not always be ad-free but it’s a concept that has been very important to them while the magazine blossomed, as Simon explains.

‘We wanted to establish the magazine and set the look and tone of voice without feeling responsible to anyone, that’s why it’s ad-free’ he says. ‘It meant that we could publish whatever we wanted without fear of upsetting anyone.’ Now that the personality of Like the Wind has evolved and matured over the two published issues, Freeman admits that they would contemplate opening their pages up to some ad-space, but only as they see fit. ‘It would have to be on our terms and the adverts would have to add value to the magazine,’ he says. ‘That might sound a bit arrogant, but we think that advertising will only work alongside the magazine creating something beautiful and inspiring, rather than seeing the magazine simply as a vehicle to deliver a sales message.’

Glance across the shelves of your local newsagents and you’ll see a pile of running magazines. The vast majority of them attempt to breakdown this incredible activity of ours into a complicated marriage of science and cutting-edge equipment. Like the Wind, however, feels like it’s come from a different universe. What the Freeman’s and the Like the Wind family of contributors are attempting to highlight is the simple beauty of the act of running and that’s commendable. ‘We want to be a vehicle for people to express their creativity and love for running, whether that is track, trail or roads and whether that is in words, photographs or illustrations,’ explains Simon.
That, right there, is a pretty good manifesto.

The date for the Like the Wind Pop-Up event is yet to be confirmed. Stay tuned to the Like the Wind website or facebook page for details.

]]>RNTRMPhttp://www.runtramp.comhttp://runtramp.com/?p=19042016-11-17T12:07:44Z2014-08-14T06:19:49ZMake no mistake, with the launch of Suunto’s third-generation Ambits this September, the Finnish company are taking their popular GPS watch far beyond it’s training tool roots. The shift from ANT+ to Bluetooth connectivity is a major move that opens up the Ambit to becoming an integral companion to our connected lives. Suunto Ambit3 Peak […]

]]>Make no mistake, with the launch of Suunto’s third-generation Ambits this September, the Finnish company are taking their popular GPS watch far beyond it’s training tool roots. The shift from ANT+ to Bluetooth connectivity is a major move that opens up the Ambit to becoming an integral companion to our connected lives.

‘Think about a situation when you’re running or cycling and have your smartphone in your backpack or the inside pocket of your jacket,’ says Björn Bornemann, Suunto Ambit Designer. ‘Now, if you like, you can get text messages, caller id or any push message on your Ambit.’ The push notifications are just a small example of Ambit3’s embracing of the post-pc world — the completely redeveloped Movescount mobile app means that, for the majority of the users, it’s their iPhone that will now be the hub for all Ambit-related syncing, sharing and customising.

‘Ambit3 has this new connectivity that frees the user partly from the Movescount cloud service and brings great new usability with it,’ says Bornemann. The updated app can also use the phone’s memory as temporary storage for longer off-the-grid adventures, as Bornemann explains, ‘You can now download moves to your smartphone and free the memory of your Ambit. Next time you have cell phone network it gets synced with Movescount.’ It marks an important stage in Ambit’s evolution. An evolution which began as a concept back in 2008, not long after Bornemann started his career at Suunto.

‘The concept project called “runners GPS” started in autumn 2008 with extensive benchmarking and many user focus groups,’ remembers Bornemann. ‘We let our future customers tell a good story about a perfect day outdoors instead of asking for features and functions. So we got a very good feeling about what people really wanted.’ The approach paid dividends — the ‘runners GPS’ concept became the Ambit, which, in turn, became an immediate success when launched in 2012 — quickly establishing itself as the watch for trail running and ultras.

Bornemann’s own journey to Suunto started with an industrial design degree from Hanover University. Upon graduating, he began a two year spell with Dyson — the UK company renowned for their impeccably designed vacuum cleaners — before taking up a position with Suunto. After some early projects on watches like the Quest, X10 and the aforementioned Ambit concept, Bornemann has been involved with every new Ambit model since. In fact, he’s led the design team for what have arguably been the sweetest Ambit versions to date; the Ambit2S; Ambit2R and the women-specific white model. With those watches in mind, it’s no surprise that Bornemann is also the designer behind the new Ambit3 ‘Sport’ model — which includes the awesome ‘electric blue’ colour way.

‘Personally, I think it’s the nicest looking Ambit,’ says Bornemann. ‘I developed a top ring with one of our engineers that would hide the screws and was able to implement this in our new line-up. The screws have always been such a dominant element and its nice to see a plain and sleek surface for a change.’ It’s that attention to detail that has also added to the Ambit’s success. There are plenty of other outdoor watches out there that can do similar things, but the aesthetics have never matched the design of the Ambit. What we’re seeing with the Ambit3 models, specifically the Sport model, is a further refinement of the classic Ambit-look. A look that’s a well-executed example of the ‘form follows function’ principal.

‘Partly the size and shape is restricted to the hardware,’ says Bornemann of the Ambit appearance. ‘We still choose to keep the large high performance GPS antenna and not change it to a smaller one like the competition. This gives us a clear performance advantage in GPS quality. Battery-wise you need such a large volume to be able to run the watch in ultra runs.’ The same principal can be attributed to the redesigned, chest strap HRM [heart rate monitor], for Bornemann it makes no sense integrating a wrist mounted HRM into the body of the Ambit. ‘I don’t think that we will go down that route because the watch mounted HRM is still less accurate than one placed on your chest, plus the wrist band always needs to be very tight. Some users keep their watch hanging from their backpack when hiking or the wrist band quite loose in summer.’ In fact, Bornemann is surprised by the sudden media exposure for wrist mounted HRMs. ‘I’m baffled,’ he says. ‘We’ve had those in the company since I joined Suunto!’

There’s no doubt that the Ambit3 will launch into a market that has become, not only more competitive, but one that’s also somewhat in the throes of a revolution. Wearable technology and, more specifically, sensor-packed smart watches are some of the hottest products of the year. Ambit3’s new connectivity and communication with smart phones can be seen as Suunto taking the product into the ‘smart’ realm, but that’s where the comparisons end. The Ambit has always been, and will always be, a hardcore, accurate, endurance tool. The Ambit3 is, undoubtedly, the best yet.

]]>RNTRMPhttp://www.runtramp.comhttp://runtramp.com/?p=18872014-07-21T19:58:55Z2014-07-21T17:51:41ZTake two freakish mountain runners, let them loose in the remote Norwegian Arctic wilderness and leave them to ski, run and dream up routes that take in the best summits, primo views and gnarly terrain — basically everything that gets their blood-pumping and lungs burning. The result is Emelie Forsberg and Kilian Jornet’s Tromsø Skyrace. […]

]]>Take two freakish mountain runners, let them loose in the remote Norwegian Arctic wilderness and leave them to ski, run and dream up routes that take in the best summits, primo views and gnarly terrain — basically everything that gets their blood-pumping and lungs burning. The result is Emelie Forsberg and Kilian Jornet’s Tromsø Skyrace.

‘This race will be a race with everything we love about skyrunning,’ says Forsberg, enthusiastically explaining the details of the course. ‘The route goes from the sea, climbs up round, grassy mountains to an alpine-style ridge. Then down off-trail and up a long, rocky ridge ascent of the higgest summit in the Tromsø area, Hamperokken, before coming back again.’ It all adds up to 42k with 4300 meters of elevation — in other words, Epicness.

It’s not just the route that marks the race out as epic, the location itself is a truly spectacular setting — the stunning city of Tromsø is perched on an island, surrounded by rugged peaks, 350 kilometres inside the Arctic Circle. It’s a place Forsberg holds dear and one which she and Jornet were keen to share with other like-minded mountain lovers, ‘The Norwegian fjords are really special and the area has some unique landscapes — jagged alpine mountains with glaciers that are stuck straight into the sea,’ she says, describing the sights. ‘The areas up there are just so beautiful for races — we love to show that!’

The Tromsø Skyrace will actually be the second event the pair will hold — last winter, while they were holed-up in an even more remote, mountainous and northerly area of Norway called Lyngen, they organised an impromptu Ski Mountaineering [Skimo] race. ‘It was really fun. We got the idea only 3 weeks before the planned date, but with help from organisations in Lyngen we managed to make it in short time,’ she says. Despite the short notice, come race-day, they were pleasantly surprised, ‘We got more entrants than we expected!’

Given the three week timeframe that Forsberg and Jornet managed to pull together the skimo race in — the September date for the Skyrace gives gives them the luxury of a couple more months to get everything in place. They plan on using the time to make the race a little out-of-the-ordinary, ‘We want it to be a special race with a unique ambiance and structure,’ she says. Two of the things that they are focussing on are camaraderie and a leave-no-trace philosophy. ‘This year we will start with a small amount of competitors, only 100, so we can have a great, friendly atmosphere. It will also be an eco race — as organisers we will try to respect the nature and have as less an impact as possible.’ The other thing they’ve organised is a way to free up enough time for them lace up their shoes and do what they love best.

‘We’ve gotten help from the local Skimo and running clubs — Sikten Tind Rando and Tromsö Löpklubb — so Kilian and I will have time to run ourselves,’ says Forsberg. They also plan on inviting some other elites to take part in the augural event, although she is keen to point out that they wanted to make the route accessible to other mountain runners too. ‘We’ve had in mind that it should be OK for less experienced mountain runners,’ she says, although she can’t contain her excitement for the course for too long. ‘One ridge is very exciting — a little scrambling and a fantastic treat when you reach the summit! — otherwise it´s nice Norwegian trails, some nice ridge scrambling, and some off-trail parts.’

If that’s not enough to get you amped for the event, than Forsberg has one, last surprise in store, ‘Of course, I’ll be baking cinnamon buns too!’ she says with a grin.

The Tromsø Skyrace and Mini Skyrace take place on the 6th and 7th September 2014.

]]>RNTRMPhttp://www.runtramp.comhttp://runtramp.com/?p=18592016-11-17T12:07:44Z2014-07-17T19:50:33ZAfter I published the article about the new updated Nike Terra Kiger 2 & Wildhorse 2, I got a lot of requests for some photos of the new updated features. I’ve been running in the Kiger 2 for the past month or so and can only say that the shoes are unreal. So here’s some […]

]]>After I published the article about the new updated Nike Terra Kiger 2 & Wildhorse 2, I got a lot of requests for some photos of the new updated features. I’ve been running in the Kiger 2 for the past month or so and can only say that the shoes are unreal. So here’s some close ups of the changes for that shoe, first up — the new heel design…

]]>RNTRMPhttp://www.runtramp.comhttp://runtramp.com/?p=18372014-07-12T12:36:51Z2014-07-12T12:31:35ZIt’s almost a year since Nike released their much-lauded, much-loved Terra Kiger and Wildhorse trail shoes on an unsuspecting public. If the initial release was low-key, the resulting glowing reviews and testimonials have, in the subsequent months, elevated both shoes to the top of the pile for many runners. Now, with the imminent release of […]

]]>It’s almost a year since Nike released their much-lauded, much-loved Terra Kiger and Wildhorse trail shoes on an unsuspecting public. If the initial release was low-key, the resulting glowing reviews and testimonials have, in the subsequent months, elevated both shoes to the top of the pile for many runners. Now, with the imminent release of the Kiger 2 and Wildhorse 2, Nike have further refined what are already some of the finest shoes around. It’s a far cry from the eye-opening and rather humbling reconnaissance mission to the Chuckanut 50 that Nike took in 2012, as Nike trail shoe lead designer Dave Roulo remembers.

‘It was pretty telling to see where we stood in the eyes of trail runners to only see three pairs of Nike’s in that race,’ he says of that somber day in Bellingham, before adding, ‘None of which were trail shoes!’ Not one to be downbeat, Roulo used the experience, and the feedback provided to him by the runners he spoke with, to double-down on their objective — namely to create some awesome trail shoes. ‘We had gained a lot of key insights,’ he says. ‘They set us on our way to confidently design our new shoes and bring some truly unique product solutions to the trail running footwear market.’

The fruits of his and the team’s labour were, of course, the original Kiger and Wildhorse — two 4mm drop shoes obviously sharing the same DNA whilst, at the same time, possessing their own trademark characteristics. The two models evolving from the same chassis, so to speak. ‘We were only able to create one midsole platform,’ explains Roulo. ‘So it gave us a good reason to differentiate between the two shoes in other ways.’ So while the Kiger’s upper was svelte and slipper-like, the Wildhorse was a little plusher and robust. Curiously neither had a rock-plate, something that raised some eyebrows but was a conscious decision as Roulo explains, ‘One of our main concepts was the idea of ‘adaptive flex’, and we wanted the midsole & outsole to conform to the trail to give better contact and traction.’ The result was a sole-unit sans rock-plate and the shoe’s distinctive midsole and outsole pattern, ‘there are many cues to the concept,’ he says. ‘The flex groove around the perimeter and the primary grooves that run from lateral to medial – so we didn’t want to limit that flex by adding a rigid plate.’ It’s a trend that continues, albeit with some tweaks, into the spanking new versions.

There’s no doubt that the original Kiger and Wildhorse benefitted from Nike listening intently to the needs of trail runners. Thankfully Roulo and his team stuck to that winning formula for the new versions too. This time, however, the feedback came primarily from their Elite Trail Team — in other words, athletes that practically live in the shoes. It’s made for some specific fine-tuning.

‘For the Kiger, the biggest bits of feedback were that the heel was a bit soft & unsupportive, the forefoot midsole was a little soft — some feeling sharp rocks through it — and that there could be a bit more coverage over the toe. So, we simply reacted to that,’ says Roulo. The changes appear in the new Kiger 2 as a redesigned heel that includes a small heel-counter, perforated foam collar and more support. In addition, the toe-box offers increased protection with sturdier overlays and the midfoot foam is a touch firmer. It’s a sweet update, succeeding in keeping everything that was great with the original while at the same time enhancing the overall experience of wearing them. They approached the Wildhorse update in exactly the same way.

‘The Wildhorse 2 is a subtle update as well,’ says Roulo. ‘The Toe was the biggest area of focus for us. We got a lot of feedback that the Wildhorse 1 was a little snug in the forefoot, and that there was some discomfort with the toe overlay. So, we were able to reduce the thickness of the overlays, made them seamless, and opened the pattern a bit more. We also reduced the thickness of the internal support band to create a bit more room.’ With both shoes specific requests dealt with, the new versions also got treated to some improved, seamless uppers, tweaked aesthetics and tasty new overlays using Nike’s recycled Re-Grind material — an addition that harks back to Nike’s ACG days. Roulo, who’s been designing for Nike for sixteen years explains, ‘We are excited about the re-grind as well,’ he says. ‘Our material design group worked on a way to take scrap from our standard film material, and include it as chips within a new film…pretty simple idea really, but a great way to keep a lot of scrap material out of landfills and it happens to be a great way to add support to the shoe! I love the fact that we can carry on with the original idea of re-grind from our old ACG product in a new modern way, as it’s a part of Nike’s heritage.’

There seems to be a great symbiosis between the Nike design and trail teams — both are passionate about what they want to achieve and the standards they aim to set. What we’re seeing with the Kiger 2 and Wildhorse 2 is a result of that. It’s Nike really dialling in their trail footwear, emboldened by both the successes of their athletes and the overwhelmingly positive response to their first offerings. Roulo isn’t saying whether Nike plan to expand their trail shoe range in the future, but he’s definitely happy with the way it’s gone so far. ‘We feel we are off to a great start!’ he says. ‘I’m sure we will discuss whether it makes sense to grow our line if there are insights we can react to, and opportunities to develop new performance solutions. For the moment, we definitely feel great about what we’ve been able to accomplish with the Kiger and the Wildhorse!’